The Los Angeles civil litigation attorneys at The Law Offices of Nigel Burns represent individuals and businesses in complex legal disputes throughout Southern California. Our firm handles a wide range of civil matters involving business conflicts, contract disputes, partnership disagreements, real estate disputes, fraud claims, and other high stakes litigation matters.

Nigel Burns is a seasoned trial attorney with decades of courtroom and litigation experience. The firm is known for aggressive advocacy, strategic case preparation, and practical legal guidance designed to protect clients and pursue favorable outcomes both inside and outside the courtroom.

Civil litigation disputes can quickly become stressful, disruptive, and financially significant without experienced legal counsel. The Law Offices of Nigel Burns works closely with clients at every stage of the litigation process, providing responsive communication, clear legal strategy, and trial-ready representation when disputes cannot be resolved efficiently.

Civil Litigation Matters We Handle

• Business disputes
• Contract disputes
• Partnership disputes
• Real estate and property disputes
• Fraud and misrepresentation claims
• Breach of fiduciary duty claims 

To discuss your civil litigation matter with The Law Offices of Nigel Burns, contact our Los Angeles office today to schedule a consultation.

Types of Damages Won in Civil Cases

You may be wondering what kinds of damages that you can claim in a civil lawsuit. You and your LA business litigation lawyers will put together a case using evidence from the incident for which you are suing. The evidence you gather will determine what kinds of damages you can claim. 

Below are the different types of damages you can claim in a civil lawsuit:

• Compensatory 
• General 
• Punitive 

These three kinds of damages can be combined, as well, meaning you don’t have to pick just one to pursue in your case. 

Compensatory Damages

Compensatory damages make up the vast majority of claims, and they are meant to make up for any expenses that the defendant has cost you. For example, if you are hit by a car, you can seek compensation for your medical bills and any property damage that was caused (for example, a broken laptop that was in your backpack). 

Additionally, if you had to take time off your job to recover from your injuries, you can be compensated for lost wages.

General Damages

General damages are losses that are difficult to put a value on since they do not come with a set financial cost. While the injuries to your body can be quantified through medical bills, you may also suffer mental anguish from your accident. 

Mental anguish is a common claim pursued in civil lawsuits, and your civil litigation lawyer can tell you how you can help prove this kind of damage. 

Another example of general damages would be losses awarded in a breach of contract lawsuit; it can be assumed that the breach of contract resulted in a loss of business because one party breached the contract.

Punitive Damages

Punitive damages serve as a punishment for the defendant’s actions to ensure that they won’t act egregiously again. They are typically awarded when the defendant knowingly mistreated the plaintiff.

Since you are fighting for financial compensation, you and your family law attorney in Los Angeles from the Law Offices of Nigel Burns will need to put a cost on your damages. This will be done by thorough documentation that will then be presented to the courts. Providing documentation of your damages is crucial to getting compensation for them. 

The Role of a Typical Civil Litigation Attorney 

The average civil litigation attorney sees a diverse set of cases in their field since civil litigation encompasses so many different torts. For example, a lawyer for family issues like divorce and adoption will be fighting for very different damages than a lawyer for a medical malpractice claim. 

Lawyers specializing in civil litigation must be aggressive in the courtroom in order to fight for proper compensation. They also serve as their client's advocate, supporting them through the lawsuit process. 

What to Expect After Filing Your Civil Suit 

After you file your civil suit alongside your business litigation attorneys in Los Angeles, you should be prepared to go through the following stages of the lawsuit process:

• Investigation
• Pleadings
• Discovery
• Pretrial Proceedings
• Trial or Potential Settlement Outside of Court 
• The Appeal, if Desired

It’s not guaranteed that your lawsuit will go through each of the above stages, as most do lawsuits skip over a few. The majority of civil lawsuits are not handled in court, as they can be settled outside of court in order to save time and money. 

Additionally, cases settled outside of court give both parties more control over how issues are resolved. In fact, this may be more appealing to both parties since they can reach a middle ground when not in a traditional court setting. 

If your case goes to court, witnesses and professional experts will be called in to testify, and you will need to be present in court throughout the entirety of the proceeding. Once both lawyers make their case in front of a judge, the judge will then decide which party to rule in favor of based on the evidence and arguments presented.

Filing and going through with a civil lawsuit is a grueling and lengthy process, so it’s important to pick a hardworking and determined attorney like the Law Offices of Nigel Burns. A civil litigation attorney from their office will support you every step of the way through your case, and it will end with a positive outcome. 

Hiring the Law Offices of Nigel Burns is the first step towards receiving compensation.

Civil Litigation FAQs

When Should You Sue? 

Before you file your civil lawsuit, you should think about if a lawsuit is necessary to get what you need. A personal injury lawyer will look at three factors: 

1. If you have a strong initial case.
2. The potential for settling vs going to court.
3. The chances your case will result in a settlement if you win your lawsuit.

Is Taking Your Personal Injury Case To Court Worth It?

Many civil suits never have to see the courtroom, and plaintiffs can receive settlements outside of court. In fact, plaintiffs actually can win higher amounts by settling outside of court. Regardless of how you want to go about your claim for compensation, you should always hire an attorney to start handling your case. An attorney is professionally trained in litigation, and they will be able to fight for you better than if you represented yourself.

How Many Damages Can You Claim in a Civil Suit?

There’s generally no cap on the number of damages that you can claim in your civil suit, but you do need to have thorough documentation to prove each of these damages. Punitive damages do not have an exact cap, but there are guidelines set forth by the Supreme Court. It’s common to stop the amount of punitive damages awarded when they reach 9 times the economic and non-economic damages combined.